Facing Fate
by digital.fragrance
Summary: AU. Vejiitasei was never destroyed, leaving a planet of coldblooded Saiyans alive. A woman sacrifices herself as a slave. His world slowly changes inside out with feelings he refuses to acknowledge. In a place where evil dwells, is there hope? Even love?
1. Approaching Past

A/N: This is my second fanfiction. It's based on a character made by me - Sereki, Goku's full-blooded Saiyan twin sister. All of the DBZ characters will be in character, I promise, and this takes place as if the Saiyan planet was never destroyed. This is gonna be a good one, you won't want to miss it! There's going to be a lot of action and some romance - an unbeatable combination! Enjoy!

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Chapter 1 - Approaching Past

The shattered moon shone with scattered light as the gentle breeze caressed her soft cheeks. The wind rustled the trees below, and the leaves flew on invisible wings to greet her. The soft, sweet smell of the night lilies floated to her sensitive nose. A slight smile emerged amidst her focused face. _This is the best time for meditation… the best place… one of the most peaceful places I've ever been._ Sereki gazed at the starry night sky. Many of those bright balls of light she had visited even lived for some time. Her memories of the people who trained her… the first of whom was here, on earth, came to her mind. Grandpa Gohan, as her brother fondly called him, always held a special place in her heart. He was the reason she left Earth. 'Use your talents for good,' his favorite quote, was ever-present in her memories. However, she needed to travel, to pick up different skills, to experience the universe. Unlike her brother, she never hit her head and remembered clearly who she was and where she came from.

A faded orange star captured Sereki's attention. It was the sun of the planet of her origin – Vejiitasei… a place that would never accept her. As a Saiyan child, she had an extremely close bond with her twin, Kakarrot; after all, they had spent nearly 9 months side by side in their mother. An unbreakable telepathic bond was formed, and when she heard that he was being sent away to earth to conquer the so-called "tail-less beings," she snuck in his tiny capsule that plummeted towards the faraway Milky Way Galaxy. Certainly such disrespect would never be tolerated upon her return. To make matters worst, she was _rare_. Her body looked slight and fragile compared to Saiyan females, and her eyes shone crystal blue. Even though she looked weak, she was certainly not, in fact she was slightly weaker than her brother. Her body was well built and chiseled… certainly looked very strong by human standards. Unfortunately, Saiyans can judge too quickly on first appearances and many of the females born fragile like her were… discarded. Why her parents kept her alive always puzzled her. _Maybe they knew I was strong and not like all of the other 'weaklings.' _The only way to ever gain her race's respect was to train harder and become stronger than ever before. Perhaps then even her parents would forgive her for running away and never coming back at the age of two. _I'll go back there… someday._

The stars caused her hair to sparkle, and she lowered her eyes to the trees below. The birds were sleeping, the animals were in their dens, and fireflies glowed intermittently with nature's rhythmic breath. Her smile grew to a large grin. She just loved these periods of peace – no wars, no conflicts. Every planet she visited seemed to always be on the brink of destruction, and no matter how much she tried to mind her own business, she always got involved. However, she was grateful for those tumultuous times – she had learned so much and grown as a fighter. Her skills of diplomacy were rivaled above the best, and her art and knowledge of war were at most unstoppable. Not many people on Earth knew this… in fact only two did – her best friend Bulma and her brother Kakarrot.

She sighed and slowly stood up; the horizon began to turn a lighter blue as the sun sleepily rose from its resting place on the other side of the world. Sereki turned to leave when something stopped her in her tracks. _This feeling…I've felt it before._ Only on those war torn planets had she ever experienced this blood cooling sensation. Her skin prickled, and each individual hair stood on end. "Something terrible is coming," she whispered under her breath. "Something bringing destruction…" With this last thought she took to the skies and flew to the Lookout as fast as she possibly could. What was this great uncertainty she felt?

Once there, the scene that greeted her confirmed her suspicions. Piccolo and Krillin had beaten her. Confusion hung in the air as Krillin approached her.

"Do you feel it too 'Reki?" Krillin asked, hoping to get a negative answer.

"I feel it." Piccolo stated from his position near the edge of the lookout. His eyes were locked on the stars, searching for the origin of the feeling they were all aware of.

"Gosh, I was just hoping it was a nightmare..."

"Is it…?" Sereki left the question hanging in the air dripping with dread.

"Yes." Piccolo turned and walked slowly towards them. He shuddered.

"Huh! Hey guys, just because I'm short doesn't mean you can ignore me. What, or who is it!" Krillin begged for an answer. "Whoever they are can't beat Reki and Goku!"

"It's them." Piccolo stated, amused at the monk's contorted face. "And we can't take them... the army. There will betoo many of them."

Krillin's eyes moved back to Sereki. Her serious expression caused him to feel a slight pang of fear. He suddenly knew the answer. They were going to have todevise a genius plan to even have a hope of surviving this one. Their fate was hinged on it.

"The Saiyans." Sereki's eyes moved to the stars. They were not far away… perhaps only a few days. Clouds moved across the sky and covered the stars almost as if nature itself sensed the fear of the warriors and tried to protect itself.

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A/N: How did you like it? Review please :) More chapters will come based on my feedback. Thanks guys! 


	2. Anxiety

Chapter 2 - Anxiety

The remainder of the Z warriors raced towards the Lookout… something wretched was approaching without much warning. Each of them secretly hoped it was a hoax… whatever it was. As the last fighter arrived, Kami slowly walked out. His face betrayed the grim news.

"Is it true? Are the Saiyans coming to destroy the earth!" Yamcha was the first to speak. He crossed his fingers behind his back, hoping that it was all a joke.

"Yes… partially." Kami continued, "King Kai has informed me that they mean to wipe out all of Earth's inhabitants and sell the planet to the highest bidder."

"They can't just… kill us at their own little whim can they?" Tien chimed in. Chaotzu shuddered at the proposition. "We…. have lives… valuable lives…" he squeaked out.

"By the show of force they have on their way here, they can." Piccolo stated grimly. He turned his attention to the sky once more trying in vain to spot the pending attack. "Sereki, correct me if I'm wrong – this is unusual."

"He's right. These battle formations are rare. Usually the home planet will send out a small sortie of fighters – it doesn't take many Saiyans to rid a planet of living beings. Instead they have sent a fleet of 3 battleships. Perhaps when Raditz returned defeated they took us a little more seriously." Sereki looked at all of them and cracked a small grin. "Yeah, brother you probably scared him to death!" Laugher consumed the band of friends.

"Yeah, 'Reki – you should have seen the look on his face! Too bad you weren't there, it probably would have been a whole lot easier to get him to leave Earth!" Goku scratched the back of his head and chuckled with that sheepish grin of his. His face turned serious as that wave of evil passed over the group. "But how can we stop them? I know we could defeat a small group… but 3 battleships – that's insane!"

"I highly doubt they will all descend at once. Most likely they will send a small team of very strong warriors – stronger than Raditz – to test us out. This would normally be the death of us, but thanks to Piccolo destroying the moon, we don't have to worry about the Oozaru transformation. However, according to you, Raditz wasn't exactly an easy match… and these guys are much stronger– "

Mr. Popo ran outside with a frantic look on his face. "What is it!" Everyone waited with baited breath. "You guys are right, they are much stronger… because guess who is on his way with them? … The prince himself!"

"Holy… s…" Sereki took a deep breath and began to walk away and distance herself from the group. This was going to be more than the warriors could take. Goku silently pulled away as well.

"Reki… you know something that you don't want to say don't you? I feel it inside… put up as many mental barriers as you want, but you can't completely stop our sibling bond."

"Kaka – I mean Goku… we won't win this battle. With _him_… now it's impossible. He's stronger than you think. "

"Oh c'mon – he can't be _that_ strong! Between the two of us…" he trailed off.

"He is as strong as you or I separately … plus the 100 extra super elite Saiyans."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

" I'm not going down with out a fight! I'll do my best to spare Earth – for the people, for my friends… for my family…" Goku knitted his brows together as emotion overcame him. "Gohan… Chi-chi…" he finally whispered. He looked up when he felt her soft brown tail touch his shoulder. "Are you okay? Once the Saiyans find out you are here, they…" he trailed off again.

"I'll be fine." She replied curtly. So much for meeting her kind 'someday.' "I'll do my best to spare Earth as well, brother." _Bulma,_ Sereki telepathically thought, _I need to talk with you now. You won't like this… in fact, I won't either, but it has to be done._

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The cold metal chilled his feet. Stars streamed by as ribbons of light. The hum of the engine calmed him. Only among the stars did he feel somewhat at home. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. He relished the moments when there was peace and quiet… no interruptions… no meetings for him to attend to. He had to practically twist his father's tail off just to let him go this far away from the planet. 'Royalty do not leave their own planet!' His father's voice boomed in his head. As much as his father loathed his purging journeys with the expeditionary force, he knew he couldn't control him. He was too strong. Vegeta opened his eyes to see a distant galaxy at last come into sight. _Nappa's coming… stupid idiot – he drives me crazy._ "3… 2… 1…" he counted down.

_Right on cue,_ he thought. _Maddening._ The intercom cracked. "Sire, we are approaching the Milky Way Galaxy. Time to target is approximately 24 hours." Nappa's annoying voice cackled over the speaker. He hated it when the prince ignored him. When he got no response, he tried again. "Ahem. Prince Veg–"

"Shut up, Nappa. I heard you the first time. Now leave!" Just his luck… Nappa just _had_ to lead this mission. He was the most annoying creature that ever lived. He made a mental note to drive him crazy when he got back to the palace. He turned and watched the swirl of planets and stars from a distance. He blinked a few times… something was going to be different about this mission although one aspect was certain.

Earth was not going to shame them again.

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A/N: Well... the tension in the air is brewing! Can anything be done to protect Earth? Review please :) 


	3. Mysterious Preparations

Chapter 3 – Mysterious Preparations

Sereki silently placed the device on her brother's bed. "This is the only thing that will slightly relieve him after today."

-- Flashback –

"Reki, you sure you have to do this?" Bulma's voice was laced with concern. The communication device was encapsulated and placed in the outstretched hand before her. "Do you really have to…?"

"I'm sorry… yes. It's the only way." Sereki sighed, and her eyes fell to the floor. She slipped the capsule into her belt's discreet compartment and took its twin device in her hand. "Better not encapsulate this – Goku wouldn't figure out how to open it." She allowed herself to grin momentarily and then remembered the situation she was in. "So you are absolutely sure this is a safe connection?"

"The most technologically advanced and hand-crafted by Moi! No one could ever intercept the messages!" Bulma slipped into her over-enthusiastic mode. "It even has these really nice features…" She excitedly explained every aspect of her state-of-the-art comlink.

Sereki smiled at her best friend's enthusiasm. After this day, she might never see her again. A tear threatened to fall, but her inborn Saiyan pride prevented it. She did, in fact, deserve this. She distantly gazed off into the sky and watched the passing clouds, memorizing all of the planet's features. Earth was a gem to her, one of the most beautiful and diverse planets in the universe.

Her instincts snapped her back to reality. She felt two large ki levels, and one extremely powerful one. _Who…? The prince, himself, landed on the planet. How strange…_ "Thanks Bulma – it's time for me to go. Goodbye…" She hated long goodbyes, and this was not going to be one of them if she had anything to do about it.

Bulma's eyes widened and before she could blink, Sereki was by the door preparing to fly away. She blasted off in the direction of her brother's house clutching the important comlink. "Goodbye… no… see you later, friend." Bulma whispered after her.

-- End Flashback –

"He's gonna hate me after this." Sereki sighed and looked for the last time at her brother's living room. "I hope he figures out how to use that thing… he's a bit dense sometimes." She turned and reached the door of the empty house when something caught her eye. The photo album stood on the mantle, beckoning her. _I have to leave, the Saiyans have arrived!_ Her brain screamed at her to use some common sense, but she reached for the book anyway. Her fingers rapidly flipped through the pages and found what she had been looking for. It was the picture of the last Bulma Brief's Annual Reunion. Everyone was there – Yamcha, Tien, Chaotzu… Goku was being hit over the head with Chichi's frying pan, Master Roshi was being smacked in the face by Bulma (and not regretting what he did one bit!), Piccolo was standing on the edge of the balcony, Puar, Oolong… and Gohan. She silently lifted the photo from its place and slipped it into a pocket. _I will remember them,_ she thought and then took off towards the source of the massive energy levels.

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Vegeta glared at Nappa. "So help my Kami, I do not care if you are the ranking general on this expedition or not, I am your superior. My word is obeyed! I _will_ be in the first wave." Vegeta's words moved off of his tongue like venom. Nappa backed away nervously. _I can smell the fear in him… idiot. _Vegeta smirked. _Torturing him is the most pleasurable pastime._

"But… y-your father…" Nappa stammered.

"Baka! What did I tell you? Don't make me repeat myself." Vegeta was bent on getting in on the action if that meant killing a few generals in the process. _I couldn't kill Nappa, though. He's to fun to scare. He fear is priceless, and Father would be displeased._ That last thought almost made him reconsider his opinion. _Perhaps I should kill Nappa for the express purpose of infuriating my father. _His tail twitched in anticipation, but after a few moments of glaring murderously at his intended target, he decided it was much more worthwhile to spend his time torturing the pitiful general.

"Of course, Sire." Nappa soon recovered from his near cardiac arrest and smoothed over his uniform and assumed his usual arrogant disposition. "You are to proceed with me and Bardock in the first group." The hatch of the ship opened noiselessly and Earth's terrain below blurred into thousands of different colors. Bardock appeared in the docking bay, obviously anticipating testing out his son's true potential.

"Shall we?" He asked eyebrows raised.

"A little eager to meet your son, eh?" Nappa jeered.

"Perhaps…" Bardock replied coolly. "Kakarrot was strong enough to beat Raditz. I'm interested to see where his true skills lie, even if he doesn't remember who he really is."

"We'll probably have to kill him." Nappa reminded.

"Whatever." Bardock shrugged, trying to act as if that didn't bother him.

"Hmph, let's get on with this." Vegeta snapped. His pulse began to quicken as the thought of testing out his strength approached. The prince impatiently blasted out of the open hatch and flew towards the soon-to-be victimized planet beneath him. He tapped his scouter as he flew, locating the highest powers of the planet. _All first class or elite level. Impressive… unfortunately, they don't stand a chance. Hmm… the highest level must be Kakarrot. _He touched down on the earth with practiced grace and readied himself for a fight. "I haven't had a good battle in years. But why are their ki levels as low as they are. Sure, elite, but that couldn't put Raditz down as fast as they did. They might be hiding something."

The other two silently landed behind him, surveying the area as well. "I'm surprised the levels are relatively 'lower' than what we expected," Nappa mused.

"I've heard of this before but never believed it – could they be masking their ki?" Bardock suggested.

"That's impossible, right!" Nappa sounded alarmed.

"Perhaps it's not." Vegeta glanced at Nappa out of the corner of his eye. "Either way, they will pay." He looked far into the horizon. _Here they come._ He almost licked his lips in anticipation.

"They are approaching, Sire," Nappa reported. "I'm reading three power levels approaching from the west, and one approaching from the Northwest."

Vegeta watched amused as a Namekan, a shiny, bald, short man, and an almost exact replica of Bardock landed about 100 feet away from them. _That must be Kakarrot._ He glanced at Bardock and observed his face change for a millisecond. _He almost smiled. Great, he better not get all emotional on us._ He sighed impatiently. He warmed his brain up for the tell-tale intimidation conversation that was bound to happen between the two opposition groups. _Those verbal showdowns are almost as fun as the actual fight_. He grinned as Kakarrot stepped forward.

"Leave this planet in peace," he demanded. He was about to continue when a beautiful brown-haired woman land in front of him. _And it gets even more interesting, _Vegeta thought.

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Sereki raced towards the impending fight. She had to nip this one in the bud. Her emotions threatened to control her, but she forced them back. _I have to do this… HAVE to do this…_she reassured herself. She touched down in front of her brother before she could rationalize another way.

"Sereki, what are you doing!" Piccolo bellowed. She winced at the usage of her name. _Well, now they know who I am._ She heard a quick intake of air from one of the Saiyans standing in front of her. When she looked at him, her skin turned pale. _Father… great, this is even harder than it was going to be. _His face was unforgettable, her Saiyan memory was incapable of forgetting him, and Goku was a constant reminder.

She quickly saved face and bowed in the presence of the prince. "I have a proposition to make. You will be very interested."

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A/N: And what is this proposition? You'll find out next time! Please review - thanks :) 


	4. Battle Royale?

Chapter 4 - Battle Royale?

"Oh really?" Nappa stepped forward and towered over her. "So what would we want with a disrespectful Saiyan brat like you? And a weak one at that!" He circled around her. "Well, you certainly have looks that please…" He looked her up and down, and Sereki's hair stood on end. "I _could_ use you." He chuckled at his own twisted nature.

"Watch it, Nappa." Bardock glared from behind him. She was still his daughter, regardless of how disrespectful she had been, and Nappa sure as heck wasn't going to get his hands on her if he had anything to do with it.

"You terrible man!" Goku reached to grab Sereki's shoulder and pull her back to safety, but she stopped him in his tracks.

'_Brother, please trust me and step back. Now.'_ She hoped he would heed her telepathic message and was relieved when he stepped backwards and next to Piccolo. Nappa was disgusting, that was for sure, but this was not the direction this was going to go, if she had anything to say about it.

"Yeah, treat Reki with respect!" Krillin shouted out from way behind them, feeling safer than usual in spot behind the boulder.Nappa gave him a glare that caused the monk to quiet down, and fast.

"I'm getting impatient. It would be better for youto tell us now before I decide to just kill you and mutilate the rest of this terrible species – your choice." Vegeta smirked at her, but was impressed when she showed no signs of alarm. _A smart one, she is. She would be of some use… perhaps. _

"That's the problem," Sereki smirked at her next line. "You can't kill me." She crossed her arms and a daring look washed over her figure. _You are SO stupid… SO stupid, _she mentally chastised herself. Nevertheless, she followed through. "Which is why I'm here – you, my prince, need a challenge. I am rivaled in many parts of the galaxy as a warrior, strategist and diplomat… I have many nicknames, a few which, I'm sure you have heard. I am useful, and to dispense of me would waste tremendous potential. Take me in exchange for this planet and leave Earth in peace."

"Well, well, well! Someone thinks she's high and mighty! Sire, let me show her her place." Nappa took a step forward, but Vegeta held up his hand in deadly silence. Bardock's eyebrows rose at this. What was she planning? Certainly she wasn't _that_ strong… his scouter proved that… or did it?

Everyone was quiet until Vegeta began to slowly chuckle. Nappa began to interrupt, but the prince cut him off. "You know I'm interested… unless you are content withbeing my next sparring partner." He looked at the general evilly. Nappa visibly paled. "I thought so."

He turned back to Sereki. "I hope you have muscle behind those words. It would be a shame to kill such a confident female. Ha. I won't know your skill until I see it. Show me. Spar." He shook his head in disbelief. _Why am I doing this? She has to be bluffing… but that would be suicide. She's smarter than that; I can see it in her eyes. _He mentally shrugged. He did need a challenge. No one on Vejiitasei would challenge him, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to train with no one to push him. Maybe she could push him harder, maybe then he could reach the level of Super Saiyan. _Wait, I don't even know if she's any good. Ha… doubt it. Better not get my hopes up._ He readied himself in his fighting stance.

"As you wish…" Sereki breathed deeply to clear her mind. "Your majesty." A grin tugged at the corner of her mouth. _Man this is gonna be fun!_ Her adrenaline began to kick in as the prospect of a good fight came within reach. After all, she was Saiyan, and it was dreadfully hard to kick that habit of fighting… much more the _love_ of fighting. Goku, Piccolo, and Krillin's jaws dropped. Thoroughly surprised, at least Piccolo had enough sense to get the group to a safe distance away. On the other side, Nappa and Bardock curtly nodded to their prince and flew to the opposite cliff.

This was going to be either a bloodbath or a showdown, but either way, it was doing to be good.

The stare down lasted moments as both were impatiently waiting to get this over with. Vegeta made the first move. He rushed her with Saiyan speed and brought his fists to her chin. His hands swatted the vacant air as Sereki appeared behind him and brought her elbow to connect to the back of his head, which Vegeta swiftly countered, locking them in that struggling position for a few seconds. They smirked at each other, and their Saiyan blood boiled at the contact. They broke away, and seconds later, Sereki found herself dodging energy blasts like her life depended on it. Her grace and ease, however, surprised the Saiyan prince – her movements were fluid-like. Only a few planets carried that kind of fighting style. _So, she has been around the universe_. He snapped back to attention as she blurred in front of him and brought her knee to his gut, connecting with mind-blowing strength. That was the last time he would lose focus in this match, in fact, this one the first matches that actually required his focus in such a long time. He mentally cursed himself for being careless but recovered quickly.

"Ooooh…" Vegeta smirked as he hissed, "So she gets the first strike in!" He chuckled. _She isn't showing me all she's got… there's more. _"The first strike is all you will get!" She certainly was a good fighter, an interesting one.

"You sure about that?" Sereki grinned at the Saiyan Prince. "Watch you back, _sire_," she added with sarcasm. Amused glares were sent through the singed air as both fighters prepared to clash again. They ran at each other, coming together in a flurry of hand techniques and kicks. The rose through the air, each wanted to best the other, and each also holding some back. Finally, Vegeta penetrated her defenses and connected a punch to her chin. She reeled through the air, a smile on her face. He was the best fighter she had fought in a long time.

"Told you." Vegeta smirked as he watched his opponent fall towards the ground beneath. But Sereki was quick on her feet and vanished. His breath drew up sharply. _Where the heck is she?_ He scan the surrounding terrain. She was nowhere. "Coward, show yourself, or –" he was cut short as pain shoot through his ribs.

"Told me what?" Sereki smiled as her foot landed with precision on his right side. She gloated for a few seconds; she loved proving some people wrong – especially when it came to her fighting ability. However, her loss of focus cost her, and she had let her ki mask slip. The prince retaliated hard, and they were back at it… totally and completely even.

Bardock stood off at a distance, eagerly watching the two spar. His daughter had disrespected them greatly, and no doubt, she would pay, but she still amazed him. She was incredibly strong… only in his prince had he seen such fighting ability. He shifted his weight and scanned the ki levels again. What he discovered almost sent him, a Saiyan warrior, into a dead faint. "Nappa… check your scouter again."

"Why would I…" he trailed off as the numbers flashed. His voice caught. "No way… no possible way…!" His eyes were as big as saucers. "She's as powerful as the prince!"

Bardock grinned. _His_ daughter, as powerful as their prince. Nappa would never dream to have any of his offspring this powerful… although he craved it like mad. "Figures," he replied coolly. "She does have half of me in her, after all."

"Shut up."

Bardock's grin widened, but as soon as the ki had risen, it dropped again. "So, she _is_ masking it."

"Or she just got lucky."

"Shut up."

The short battle below came to a slow halt, both beginning to sweat… stopping before they became careless and accidentally destroyed the planet. "You are coming with me." Vegeta stated flatly. "You don't have a choice now."

Sereki's glee in her eyes from the fight disappeared. She then remembered the hell she was to go through when she returned to her real home. "Spare the planet, and its people."

The prince eyed her curiously. _She has a strong will…I could just take her and then destroy the planet. No… then she would refuse to fight me and that would be an utter waste. _He certainly didn't want to lose the potential in her. She could possibly push him to become the strongest in the universe. Also, he wasn't about to leave a challenge. She was good, almost _too_ good, and his pride wasn't about to explore the idea of being equal. He was going to become _much_ stronger than her. He had to… for his honor as Saiyan prince. Keeping her around therefore seemed to be the logical thing to do.

Nappa flew down along with Bardock, and the three other Z warriors touched down as well. "What makes you think this is a fair trade – a planet for a disgraceful female?" Nappa snarled.

Sereki sighed. "I know the way I would be treated upon arrival. It's a sacrifice. If only I could do more to show you what an asset I could be."

Nappa snorted. "As if. You are a disrespectful brat –" Vegeta cut him off.

"That can fight and has proved herself to me in that regard." The prince glared at Nappa. "Once again, do you really want to become my next sparring partner? Come now… certainly you don't want to be in _that_ much pain, although I wouldn't mind it one bit." Vegeta smirked at the general.

Nappa paled again. "Sire… please don't make this decision rashly. I hardly think –"

"I _hardly_ don't care what you think. I suppose you are too dense to observe the fighting styles she possess… there are many… from many parts of the universe. She has traveled distances, and from the tiny fraction I've seen, learned many things. Even if she isn't the 'diplomat' she claims she is, I can see the strategist and certainly the warrior in her." He nodded his head in the direction of the other three warriors. "And I think fighting her would be more _fun_ than destroying this sorry planet." He glanced at Bardock. "Don't you think, soldier?"

"I couldn't agree more, your highness." Bardock replied, grinning at Nappa. This budding family feud was going to be a highlight of his life.

Nappa grimaced. Bardock was not going to get the best of him, and neither were his brats. But he had no choice under penalty of death… "Are you sure –"

"Shut up, Nappa, if you value your life. Woman, follow us to the ship if you value yours." The prince became airborne as he waited for them to comply.

"Reki…" Goku stammered. "Don't… why! You… can't…" He took a step toward her and touched her shoulder.

_Great… not another goodbye. _She knew this was going to come. "Brother… take care." _Boy, that was lame. _"This is my way… of protecting you… my friends, the planet." It was true, and it was the only way. If she didn't go, the battleships above would wipe them out and not even think twice.

Goku locked eyes with her for a few seconds that seemed like eternity. Eons of thoughts were passed between the two, and each understood the other completely. So much emotion was shared, and so many feelings were exposed. Goku, unable to dissuade his sister, recognized his defeat, but realized his fortune. "Thank you," he whispered as the Saiyans, with his sister, disappeared from sight.

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A/N: Ha.. another chapter. What did you think? That was interesting to write... I really like the lines between Bardock and Nappa... I feel as if I can manipulate a little of their character, but so far, I'm staying right on course, as promised:) Thank you Pearl3 and The General of Darkness for the reviews.

So... after this, it will get REALLY interesting... I can see some humor in sight... and yes, the romance will be coming as soon as the plot and characters develop enough. Slow romances are the best after all!

Review please!


	5. On Her Way

I know it's been long since I update this... I'm sorry. I'll update better, I promise :)

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Chapter 5 - On Her Way

Her cramped quarters in space were beginning to drive her crazy. There was nothing to look at but a solid shiny metal surface. Her bed was the standard one issued to slaves, and the only item of clothing she was allowed to wear was a tan spandex suit… once again, the traditional color of slaves. Occasionally, she was allowed to train in the soldiers training room, but only at odd hours when no one was around. She was really beginning to feel the sting of isolation. It was as if she never existed. She only existed to fight.

She began to doubt that her name meant anything here… being called "woman" constantly was making her edgy… and angry, very angry. She suppressed her emotions in order to survive the psychological onslaught that would ensue the minute she touched down on her home planet. Two weeks in space had past and arrival on planet Vejiitasei was in less than 24 hours; she hadn't seen the prince or her father, let alone fought anyone.

There was a shuffling outside of her door. With no modesty to knock, the door was flung open and a large man reached into her chamber and dragged her out of the room. "Let go of me!" Sereki protested. The least she could do was walk wherever that man wanted to take her.

"Shut up, woman!" the guard yelled at her and kicked her in the side. He resumed dragging her down a series of corridors. Each group of Saiyans that they passed gave her amused looks, and some outright laughed. Sereki didn't know how long she could possibly take this humiliation, but knew if she couldn't handle it now that all hope was lost once she reached her home planet. She went limp and allowed the stupid man to drag her along the floor. If only he realized how powerful she was…

Her thoughts were interrupted as she was thrown into a pitch black room. Her blood ran cold. Something was awkward in this place – something was waiting to happen. She calmed her senses and focused. No ki signatures… no scents… no sounds…

_SIZZLE…pop!_ She opened her eyes and threw her body to the left as a ki blast brushed past her head. Her senses reached for new heights as she responding to her instincts – dodging up, down, left and right. Her attacker was smart, and powerful… and sneaky.

"Where is he?" She muttered under her breath. She closed her eyes and gave up on her vision. It wasn't helping her in this dark room. She focused inwardly and her fluid motions took over her body as she ceased to think – only respond. She became accustomed to the room, and decided it was her turn to take the offensive. She slid to a halt and crouched into her fighting stance. Her warm tail wrapped around her waist tightly as she readied her body to attack. She threw her hands in front of her chest, and curled her fingers as silver light began to emanate from them. She lifted her hands above her head and let it go.

"Mirror's Reflection!" She shouted in an ancient tongue. Instantly, the room was bathed in a silver light, revealing her attacker – the prince. _Figures,_ she thought. _Who else? _She mentally chastised herself for not seeking out his ki signature after the ki blasts began coming after her. She just had to throw in the special technique to light up the WHOLE room. _You always have to do things the hard way, don't you Sereki?_ She almost laughed at herself.

"Took you long enough." The Prince scoffed at her. "I expect more from my sparring partner. You really need to get used to tough situations." He began walking towards her as he lectured her.

Sereki tried her best to not roll her eyes. If only he knew the situations that she had been in… much worse situations at that. She almost grinned as he walked towards her. _He doesn't know what's gonna hit him!_ She waited, calculating the perfect moment.

"Are you ready to fight now, woman? I'm ready anytime, anyplace." He lunged for her, but only grasped empty air. His breathed in sharply. _What the crap? Where…?_

_CRACK!_ His search for her was over when he felt a powerful force connect with the side of his ribs. _It seems I spoke too soon. She does know what she is doing. Like I'll admit that. Ha._

She continued her onslaught of attacks. She broke through his defenses and she nailed him in the chin with an uppercut. This was the best way to release her tension from the past two weeks… just beat it out. The prince soon recovered from her surprise attack and matched her for every blow, block, and dodge. The fight was dead even, no one coming out on top. They clashed and fought longer, unaware of the crowd gathering outside of the door listening to the fight.

They separated to opposite ends of the room. Sereki badly wanted to make a sarcastic remark about her 'tough situations,' but in her current position in Saiyan society, she had no right to even speak to him… and it seemed he wanted to keep it that way. He smirked at her from across the room. A somewhat amused look as on his face. "Watch your back, woman." He left the room without another word.

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The Prince almost grinned to himself. Sparring her was going to be one of the highlights of his days. He didn't have to hold back with her… something that kind of bothered him. A woman? Almost equal to him? No. _Not quite… almost equal… yes… that sounds better. She has quite the spirit inside of her, I can sense it - a very stubborn spirit._ He mused over the ancient words she had spoken to light up the room. "How odd. I don't think that was ki energy… the only place she could have learned that from was the mystical planet Kadar." His eyes grew larger for a second as he realized she truly had been to the edges of the universe._ This female is interesting. _

He reached the bridge of the ship and a communications officer filled him in on their estimated time of arrival. He walked over to the control panel and watched the soldiers do their work. He couldn't get his mind off of her… she had so many secrets and mysteries about her. His musings were cut short as the image of his father filled the ship's view screen. "Vegeta!" his voice boomed. "Chikyuu has been spared in exchange for a _female_?! Tell me I am wrong."

"You're right." Vegeta glared back at the screen.

"You better have an explanation for this. What female can be worth a planet? None could be stronger than the Duchesses here – they are the strongest females in the universe. They are nothing compared to you and I, of course, but what good is this third-class scum?"

"She is a good fighter." Vegeta was getting annoyed. "I shouldn't have to explain myself."

"You're the man of many words. Tell me, does something else interest you? More than her fighting ability perhaps?" The King cocked his eyebrow at his son.

"Shut up, you know nothing! She's a good fighter, that's all!" Vegeta shut off the communications with a twitch. Part of what he said was true… and it bothered him. _I'll never be interested in some stupid third-class female!_ He huffed and walked rather forcefully off the bridge.

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So, what do you think so far? This is going to be a LONG story, and it's nowhere near done. I've still kept my promise and everyone is in character :) 


	6. First Impressions

Told ya I'd update faster :)

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Chapter 6 - First Impressions

The battleship's arrival was met with fanfare and festivities. Whenever the prince returned from a trip in space to conquer a planet, they celebrated. This time, they had no reason to celebrate, seeing that Earth was not destroyed, but once the drinks started going around, there was nothing stopping the common folk from having a little fun. As the battleship touched down on the landing dock outside of the palace, the crowd settled to a hush to await the disembarking of their iconic prince.

Prince Vegeta waited next to the ramp that led to his home planet. He really disliked all of this public attention, but his father insisted that he tolerate it to keep up his oh-so-precious image. He crossed his arms and tapped his foot waiting for the ramp to fully extend. It seemed like forever to the impatient prince, and he momentarily though about blowing up the whole damn ship. _Ha, that would take care of things. But is it really worth another prolonged lecture with my good-for-nothing father?_ He pondered if for a few seconds. _Probably not._ He inwardly groaned as Nappa appeared next to him polishing his breast plate and shoulder guards. _Oh please. Not the idiot._

The ramp touched the ground and the crowd waited in anxious silence. The prince, badly wanting to get this over with, stepped out of the ship, and the crowd let out a roar that could be heard to the far reaches of the continent.

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Sereki glanced up at the guard standing in front of her. She finished brushing her hair and, it fell freely almost halfway down her back. She readied herself for the humiliating disgrace of touching her home planet. She was sure the prince would make an announcement as to who she was and what a disgrace she was as soon as he had the crowd's attention. She flicked a stray hair out of her face and decided that although she had to be submissive, her spirit would not be broken. She would make a statement. She would be confident. Her hair succumbing to gravity alone would capture their attention. She would make her father proud of her… eventually… however long that took.

Her brother's memory filled her head. _"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me!" Goku chanted in a sing-song voice to Krillin as he danced around him waving his arms in the air. Everyone promptly did an anime sweat-drop as they watched the powerful warrior act like a little boy. _Sereki remembered being clearly confused by the actions of her brother. No one on any of the other planets she had been to after she had left Earth for a number years acted like that. Now, she understood the meaning behind the childhood saying.

"Words will never hurt me." She mumbled under her breath. The guard in front of her turned around and gave her a weird look. Sereki glared at him and raised her eyebrow, as if to challenge him. He was about to lunged at her when the roar of the crowd stopped him. He turned quickly around and acted as if nothing had happened. Sereki chuckled. "Scared?" she challenged him. Boy, was she in a mood.

"You are skating on thin ice, _woman._" The guard spoke out of the corner of his mouth.

"I think someone has a little temper…" She added, chuckling more. At least this took her mind off of everything.

"Shut up, woman!"

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Vegeta walked across the landing dock confidently, raising a hand to the crowd. Nappa walked two steps behind him. "Ahem, your highness, aren't you going to mention the scum that you brought along on this trip."

"No." was his curt reply.

"But she is a b–" He was cut off my the back of Vegeta's hand.

"Don't question me general, or I'll send her to beat you up. And don't try to get out of that one. You know she would beat you if she so much as holds a candle to my ability. Wait, why do that when I can have the pleasure of beating you up myself?" He retorted arrogantly and walked away towards the palace.

"Damn. Bardock's spawn is going to be humiliated if it's the last thing I do." Nappa huffed and stalked away.

Vegeta had been planning on saying something to the crowd about the fact that Chikyuu still breathed, but that plan was put down as soon as he saw "the woman" staring at the floor of the ship before he set foot on his future kingdom. She deserved all of the public humiliation that he could dish out, but would she even be in her element to fight him after that onslaught? He had been mulling over that, and then Nappa showed up and annoyed the crap out of him. _She's a female. I better 'spare' her from the 'pain,'_ he thought mockingly in his head.

He had just reached the palace doors, when the sudden silence in the crowd stopped him in his tracks.

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Sereki descended the ramp from the ship confident, even though she was wearing slave colors. _A strong image makes it harder for a person to bring me down._ Her hair caught the light of the sun, and a breeze began as soon as she set foot on the ground. Some woman from the crowd loudly shouted. "Look! Who's that???!" The crowd grew quieter in waves, the men and women transfixed by her hair and her confident gait. She turned around in a circle as she walked towards the place, taking in the wonders of the tall, colorful buildings and breathing in the air that she knew so long ago. _If feels like home, even though I know I'm not accepted._

As she walked, she noticed the looks she was receiving. Men were drooling… such a rare female Saiyan… with almost exotic attributes compared to most of her kind. A few gathered the courage to cat-call, while others just stared speechless. It was a little unnerving. Of course, she was considered beautiful by most species' standards, but her hair combined with her frame stood out amongst all of them. The Saiyan women were taller and more built that she appeared. They had rougher features as well – all of the struggled to tame their wild hair while hers danced softly with the breeze.

Sereki looked towards the prince, expected him to announce to the whole world her shame, but instead, he just simply stared, blinked and walked into the palace. Meanwhile, Bardock decided to take the opportunity to one-up Nappa and protect what was his.

"Attention, everyone." He projected his voice. "This is my daughter. She was the disgraced one who deserted her people." He paused, and the crowd was turning a little hateful towards the beautiful brunette. "All who mess with her will deal with me." A few snickers were heard through the crowd. People obviously didn't believe him, and he expected that. "That is," he added, "if you can get past my daughter first. She is the prince's new sparring partner, after all." He smirked at the shocked faces before him and laughed at Nappa who was about 100 feet away. He walked towards his daughter and continued to the palace side-by-side with her, the envy of the crowd. Sereki stared at him in shock of his show of support. "Don't get me wrong, kid," her father said, "this is not going to be easy for you _or_ for me in the days to come."

Nappa's jaw dropped. Bardock said the humiliating words about his daughter, but spun them in such a way that the crowd did not hate her. In fact, they were impressed! _Crap. Bardock, I will get you. _

The crowd was mixed with jealousy and a real admiration for the woman that appeared before them. She faced the crowd confidently, never hung her head, and proudly walked into the palace with the support of her own blood. Even has a disgraceful Saiyan, she appeared strong. Perhaps they would give her a chance to redeem herself in society.

However, she had gotten on the wrong side some of the most important, beautiful, and powerful females on the planet with saying a word. She was invading on their territory, and they didn't like that. She would be watched, and she would pay. No one gets in the way of them and the Prince.

The Duchesses would make her pay.

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A/N: Review please! I really want to know what you guys think! 


	7. Settling in?

Chapter 7 – Settling in?

Sereki was shown her sparse quarters below the palace. Bardock looked at her with a somewhat semblance of sympathy.

"You can't stay with me because–" Her father was interrupted by his daughter.

"I know..." she said lowering her head.

"Oh. Yes. Well…" he paused as he looked at her. His idea of her serving her punishment as a slave grew more and more distasteful in his mouth the more time he spent with her. "See you later."

She simply nodded in acknowledgement, and walked into her room. Her escorting guard stuck his head in the door and barked out orders. "You will meet the Prince to spar in 0900 hours." He left shortly afterwards.

"Yuck," she exclaimed while surveying her room. "Oh well, comes with the territory of being a slave, or servant, or whatever-you-call it. Ha. This is going to be _so much fun!_" She clapped her hands together in mock joy. "I'm growing more cynical by the day. I'm going to be a sarcastic, caustic, pessimistic mess in thirty years." She rolled her eyes as she flopped onto her bed. _THUD_. "Ow!" She quickly got up and looked at her bed. "Oh, no mattress… just a few blankets." She rolled her eyes again and sat gingerly on her bed. She wouldn't be making that mistake again.

She turned around to find an old, dusty, rusty clock hanging above her door. It read 8:00. "Great, one hour to myself." She un-capsulated a few of her things – her brush and toiletries. "I better not un-capsulate everything… down here things could get stolen." She looked out of her quarters and observed the musty, smoky hallways of the slaves quarters. A group of aliens were having some fun breaking the belongings of another unfortunate inhabitant of the floor. "Yep, I will keep my eyes on my things… I better try to hide them." She found a wood panel underneath her bed that was loose, and stored her capsules in there. She breathed a sigh of relief and lay down on her bed. She was about to take nap before the 'almighty know-it-all prince' demanded her. She'd keep that thought to herself.

"Hey… guys!" One of the burly pink aliens commented to his friends on the other end of the hall. "Did you see that tasty piece of flesh a moment ago?" he said while jerking his head towards Sereki's quarters.

"Heck yes, we did!" His compatriots responded enthusiastically.

"Let's have some fun. What do you say?" The alien had a creepy smile on his face.

"Oh yes, she will be some fun!" They slowly crept towards her room. The leader of the group poked his head into her room and found the woman asleep.

"Okay. Be quiet, or she'll wake up!" He whispered roughly. He tip-toed over to her bed and raised his hand above her head. He brought it down, intending to knock her out so she wouldn't cause any trouble.

Sereki's eyes snapped open, and she grabbed his arm. In a flash, the leader alien was part of the hallway's wall decorations. He slumped to the floor, leaving a huge dent that outlined all of his features. The other aliens shrieked and ran away. Her ears pinked up fragments of the retreating forms conversations…

"Geez, I'm not messing with that one!"

"But she's SOOOO pretty!"

"Femme Fatale, literally."

Sereki smirked to herself as she slowly walked out of her room and approached the wounded pink alien. She kissed her own finger and put it on the forehead of the dazed alien. She winked flirtatiously. Just as he smiled, she lifted her foot and kicked him 400ft down the hallway.

"Fat chance, baka!" She shouted down the hallway. She triumphantly returned to her room.

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A months later, the prince found himself refreshed. This female was one of the most superb fighters he had faced. Of course, he would never tell her that. That would ruin his self-important image.

He sat down against the wall of the sparring chamber and grabbed his water bottle. He wiped the sweat off his face with a towel and eyed the woman. She was at the other end of the room, meditating and floating a foot off of the ground. Her ways of combat would never cease to amuse him. She was leaving herself open for attack. Yes, she was definitely vulnerable – sweat poured off of her body and her breathing was starting to become ragged. The prince was the in the same condition, but he refused to admit that, too.

He smirked as he readied another energy blast from the last droughts of his energy. The light glowed blue, then violet out of the palm of his hand. He let it go from his hand, and it careened across the room towards the female. _Let's see her get out of this one. _He was starting to laugh at her vulnerable, unassuming position. _She should NEVER drop her guard. I shall teach her that._

The blast hurled itself towards Sereki… 50 ft… … 10ft… 5ft… 4ft… 5ft… 10ft… Vegeta's eyes widened as he realized too late that his own blast was bearing down straight at him. "What the–?!" He couldn't get out another word as the blast slammed him into the wall, water bottle and towel in tow.

He picked himself off of the wall, and brushed the dust off his shoulders. He looked over to his sparring partner. "How?" He simply asked her.

Sereki's eyes snapped open in shock. _He wants me to talk to him? Crazy, I'm a 'slave.' I shouldn't even look at him, let alone talk to him I haven't said a word except 'yes' and 'no' to him since I came here._ She forced her mouth to move. "I used my ki to deflect yours. My mind formed a net to catch your blast, and then I sent it careening back at you."

"Could you do that with a large blast?"

"Theoretically."

"Explain." He was really shocking her today. Might as well make the most of it and keep the conversation going. She was beginning to take a liking to the prideful prince before her. Wait, scratch that. She _tolerated_ him. Not like she had much of a choice.

"Well, it all depends on your ki level. If yours is stronger than the blast, or stronger than your opponent, the blast can be caught. That's most of the work. Once it's caught, it only requires energy on your end to send it in the direction of your choice. It consumes a lot of energy, so it really is better to get out of the way. However, it has it's advantages."

"Like the element of surprise." He said flatly and looked to the floor, his face turning red.

Sereki tried so hard to suppress the giggle that had been forming in her throat. Fate was against her, however, and it turned into a full-fledged laughed. She laughed so hard she fell over onto the floor.

"Woman! Stop laughing!" Vegeta commanded her.

She looked at him, tears almost in her eyes from laughing so hard. She brought it down to giggles. "But… your face!" She laughed again. As soon as she realized what she said, she clamped her hand mouth. _Shoot, shoot, shoot! Bad thing to say… really bad thing to say._ So far, she had managed to suppress her outgoing, and sometimes jovial personality, but she slipped. She looked at the floor, expecting some kind of punishment to be leveled on her.

"My face?" Vegeta repeated confused. "What's so funny about my face, woman?"

"Nothing… nothing at all… your Highness." She forced herself to stop breathing in order to quell the next round of laughter that was threatening to seize her poor body.

"Oh please, you saw something. Don't act like a scared idiot. Why would I punish my sparring partner? It would only punish me in the end as well – we wouldn't spar, or you would be hurt and the fighting wouldn't be good. Spit it out, woman."

Her eyes grew twice their normal size. He wouldn't punish her. Amazing! When she noticed the prince was tapping his foot on the floor impatiently, she remembered she had to answer him.

"Your eyes were as big as your face!" She bit her lower lip to stop the laughing that was getting its second wind.

He smirked at her. "So are yours." He almost laughed as he walked out of the door. Sparring her was going to be more interesting from now on. He had let her show a little bit of herself, and he liked it. As much as he'd hate to admit it, it drove him crazy to have people with no personalities do everything he asked. And she was a little… dare he think… funny? He shrugged as he made his way toward the showers and another day full of meetings.

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"So, Vegeta won't punish her?" The dark shadow at the head of the oval table asked. A single lamp lit the room. Shadowy figures sat around the table in the center of the dark room.

"No. In fact, she insulted him, and he almost laughed at it. I think he liked it." The second figure whispered.

"Insulted him?" The third shadow couldn't believe it.

"Liked it?" The fourth one exclaimed.

"Yes, I think that she will get closer to him as time goes on. She is proving to be most threatening in the long run." The head figure mused.

"But she's a slave!"

"Yes, maybe. But remember in ages past? The Royal Bloodline hasn't always been... shall we say… royal." The woman suggested. "We have to do something. One of must secure the position of Princess. Of course, we all want it, for one reason or the other. But remember, as long of one of us is the Princess, our group will have immense power. Surely the Prince would ask his own wife for advice."

"Yes, yes – the husband is the head, but the wife is the–" one of the women started.

"–Neck and can turn the head anyway she wants!" They all ended saying with glee in their voice.

"The Prince is nearing the age where it is unavoidable to say single any longer. His father will surely announce a tournament where all eligible females, from slaves to the highest classes will compete for the position of Vegeta's wife. The best fighter would win, securing strong offspring for the Royal Bloodline."

"We shall train, and train hard." The head woman brought her hand down with a resounding _CRACK_ onto the table. The lamp blew out with the gush of wind that came from the open window. The female looked out of the window at the cold night. The land was to become restless in the days ahead. The moon was coming in a little less than a year.

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A/N: I updated soon, just as you promised. What do you think of the plot so far? Thank you Vladegurl and Yuko the Saiyan for your great reviews! It's appreciated :) 


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